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The Difference Between Teaching One-on-One and Groups When deciding to learn a foreign language, many people must first consider whether to learn through group classes or individual training. Both methods have pros and cons to each, and the choice largely depends on the students preferred learning style. To begin, one-on-one lessons are great for focusing on the students needs. The very nature of private lessons means that the student has sought out an individual teacher and therefore means they already have a certain level of motivation to learn the new language. In this type of learning environment, the teacher can tailor the lesson to that of the students needs, and in doing so can develop a close and intimate relationship with the student. The teacher will easily be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the student and adjust the direction and speed of the course accordingly. If the student picks up the material quickly then the teacher can continue to move on; if the student is struggling on the material, then the teacher can move at a slower pace. As one can see, there are clearly some distinct benefits to learning through one-on-one lessons. Secondly, one must also consider the negatives of individual classes. One of the biggest differences is the lack of a classroom dynamic. Individual lessons can be done in almost any setting (home, café, library, online, school, etc.), whereas large groups are only suitable in a large enough classroom. Because of this reason alone, one-on-one lessons are also less formal than group lessons. Another aspect that is lost without the classroom environment is working in pairs with language activities. With private lessons some activities become impossible to do. While there are some activities that can be done with two people, the teacher is most often the only partner the student has. This can quickly become tiring and boring to the student and teacher alike. While effective, individual lessons do have downsides that must be considered. Next, the advantages of group lessons should be considered as well. Having a classroom environment means that there is less pressure on one individual student. If one student does not know the answer to a question, there are other students nearby to help. In the case of one-on-one lessons, all responsibility falls onto the single student. In addition, a classroom dynamic offers many opportunities for students to interact with many other people through group activities, study groups, group projects, and so on. Also, having other students interacting in the classroom can help direct the flow of the lesson as well as motivate other students to speak. Some people may find this style of learning more relaxed and less stressful. Lastly, although group lessons have many positives, they are not without their negatives. A large group of students must all progress through a lesson at the same pace. This may prove problematic as not everyone learns at the same speed. Some students may struggle on certain concepts that other students may find easy. In this scenario, those who learn quickly will become bored waiting on the teacher to explain the concepts to the slower students. Another downside is that the teacher cannot focus too much time on each individual students’ strengths or weaknesses. Although a teacher can occasionally stop to help those slower students, but the teacher cannot constantly do this for every student every time there is a problem. This would severely disrupt the flow of the lesson and impact all other students. Although there are many advantages to large group lessons, these downsides must also be considered. In conclusion, one can clearly see there are many advantages and disadvantages to both individual and group lessons. There is no clear “right” way to approach learning a new language. Everybody learns differently, and it is up to the individual to decide what is the most effective way for them to learn. In some cases, a mixture of both group and individual lessons may also be taken into consideration. Ultimately, one must decide what is their goal to learning a new language and what method is right from them.
